Shannon O'Connor's Blog, page 4

Just Roommates

Just Roommates by Charity Ferrell

5/5 Stars

I’m not going to lie, I’m mentally angry at myself for not picking this up sooner. I had read Just a Fling (Blue Beech #1) earlier in the year and it wasn’t for me, I couldn't get past the storyline but loved Charity’s writing. I fell in love with her spin off series (Twisted Fox) not realizing it connects to the Blue Beech series. So I picked up book 2, fell in love, so I continued the series and here we are. Just Roommates is book #5 in the Blue Beech series and now one of my favorite reads of 2021.

The chemistry between Sierra and Maliki is unbelievable. I love their banter, their honesty, they’re honestly everything I look for in a couple. The book had me laughing out loud at times, it made me feel what the characters felt and it had me rooting for them from page one. I wanted to drop all of my responsibilities to read this book because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes romance. Despite being part of a series, Just Roommates could easily be read as a stand alone and fall in love with it as much as I did.

Rooms of the Mind

Rooms of the Mind by Mackenzie Campbell

3.5/5 Stars

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts my own***

“the problem with being a poet is, everything is a metaphor. So when they tell you they love you, you paint it grander than it is. And when they tell you goodbye, it hurts more than it should.” I enjoyed this collection. It had several incredibly strong poems and I enjoyed the way it was organized by different “rooms”. Each room had a variety of poems, giving this collection a variety of perspective.

August 2021 Wrap-Up

5/5 Stars

I don’t normally review Children’s books (despite the multiple I read my son each day) but I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I liked the idea of this story, that you shouldn’t change who you are and true friends will like you for you. I enjoyed the magical aspect of this book that created beautiful imagery. I liked the inclusivity of all the characters, they weren’t used as props or even mentioned in the story, but just as people (as it should be). In the back the author leaves a dictionary of the characters with different definitions to give more information to the parent/child but in a positive way. The book showed everyone is different and if you are yourself, you will find people who want to be your friend.

5/5 Stars

I really loved this book! Charity's writing was beautiful and immersed you in Blue Beach. I was glad to see Dallas and Willow's relationship unfold after the teaser in book 1. I kind of knew where it would be headed but I was happily surprised with many twists and turns. Willow was a real character, she had flaws and wasn't perfect but she was genuine. I'd love to see more of Dallas' family in the rest of the series, especially in Lauren's book which is next. I liked that Dallas and Willow's relationship wasn't rushed and they both had obstacles to overcome on their own. It was incredibly realistic and I loved Maven's parts as well.

4.5/5 Stars

This was so close to being my favorite in the series but it just fell short. Lauren is someone we meet all the way back in Just a Fling but we don’t get to hear too much until now. I loved the way this started, getting arrested by your ex is just hysterical and karma in this situation. I enjoyed Gage, he’s a cop but he isn’t that stereotypical chauvinistic pig, he’s a genuine good guy who cares. What fell short with me was the pacing of the book. From page one we knew they both had secrets they weren’t telling the other supposedly to protect each other, but they didn’t divulge the secrets until almost 80% of the book. Which in my opinion was way too long, because then the last 20% shoved a crap ton of stuff I would’ve liked to see fleshed out. I understand it was supposed to build tension but it didn’t keep me long enough and I ended up skimming to see what the secrets were and if it was worth reading. In my opinion, it was. That last chunk really sold it for me and made me fall even more in love with this relationship. These are definitely two characters I will be rooting for.

5/5 Stars

This was a cute and adorable fluffy short story. If you’re looking for something cliche and lovely to read for fun then definitely pick this up. The writing is beautiful, a bit spicy at times but a soft love second chance love story that doesn’t disappoint.

3/5 Stars

I liked this collection but it honestly fell short for me. I wasn’t blown away or really impressed by any of the poetry. I would probably read another collection by this author but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.

5/5 Stars

Wow. I was already in love with Jen's poetry but this blew me out of the water. This collection was particularly rough for me. As someone who once struggled with Alcohol, some of these poems hit too close to home. I commend Jen's honesty and her ability to bare herself on the page.This collection was stunning, it hurt at times but in the most beautiful way. I felt every line, every word, I was bookmarking and highlighting so often. I need this in paperback and urge everyone to read it. If you've struggled with alcohol, if you haven't, if you know someone who has, it's an eye opening look at what society deems a "normal addiction". Jen's foreword was wonderful, she honestly has me thinking twice about my relationship to alcohol. Truly amazing.

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts my own***

5/5 Stars

My favorite in this series so far! I’m not usually a fan of the enemies to lovers trope but I love the way Ferrell does it this time. Chloe and Kyle are long time rivals, new neighbors with a lot of animosity and secrets. Their chemistry is off the charts and they are two people you can’t help but root for. They both deserve a healthy and loving relationship, together. This book had a lot more drama than the others which especially kept my interest. I was a tad annoyed by how long it took them to explain why they were high school rivals. It seemed obvious but they didn’t explain the story until almost halfway through and just kept alluding to it. This also happened in regards to secrets being kept, but it was worth it once you figured out what the secrets were. The ending was tragic, and then happy. I really enjoyed their story and am curious to what comes next for them.

5/5 Stars

I’m not going to lie, I’m mentally angry at myself for not picking this up sooner. I had read Just a Fling (Blue Beech #1) earlier in the year and it wasn’t for me, I couldn't get past the storyline but loved Charity’s writing. I fell in love with her spin off series (Twisted Fox) not realizing it connects to the Blue Beech series. So I picked up book 2, fell in love, so I continued the series and here we are. Just Roommates is book #5 in the Blue Beech series and now one of my favorite reads of 2021.

The chemistry between Sierra and Maliki is unbelievable. I love their banter, their honesty, they’re honestly everything I look for in a couple. The book had me laughing out loud at times, it made me feel what the characters felt and it had me rooting for them from page one. I wanted to drop all of my responsibilities to read this book because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes romance. Despite being part of a series, Just Roommates could easily be read as a stand alone and fall in love with it as much as I did.

5/5 Stars

This is going to be a book I give to all new parents, because I wish I had read this before my son was born. I personally love what a lot of people call “gentle parenting” and what I call “parenting”. This book gives you tons of real life examples after explaining (in layman’s terms) how to communicate with your child. Despite the book saying 2-7 year olds I do recommend reading during pregnancy/the first few months of infancy because a lot of these tools can be used forever. It teaches the parent how to understand the child and how to communicate effectively without losing your cool. It reminds you that you as a parent matter, that it’s okay to lose it but if you can get it right most of the time it can make all the difference. I’ve been reading and actively using these tools with my 19 month old for the past month and I can already see a difference in the way we communicate. Days are no longer a power struggle and I can enjoy my “terrible” toddler as I learn to communicate with him and he learns to communicate with me. I also believe this can be used in regard to effective communication with any age if applied properly.

4/5 Stars

***I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

“the problem with being a poet is, everything is a metaphor. So when they tell you they love you, you paint it grander than it is. And when they tell you goodbye, it hurts more than it should.” I enjoyed this collection. It had several incredibly strong poems and I enjoyed the way it was organized by different “rooms”. Each room had a variety of poems, giving this collection a variety of perspective.

5/5 Stars

This book was personally hard for me to get through because I too had a gamer best friend that I loved. This book was almost like the what if had happened so it was bittersweet for me to read. Getting past my own emotional connection, I loved Charity's writing and the story. It is starting to bother me the constant theme I'm seeing of "I have a secret that can break everything, I'm not going to just tell the person, no wait I am, just kidding they found out already". I'm someone who values honesty so this triggers me a bit, but the rest of the story is amazing enough for me to overlook this. I loved Rex and Carolina, they deserve the love they got and I loved watching their relationship unfold. A great ending to this series.

4/5 Stars

This collection started off incredibly raw, the topics covered are not for the faint of heart. The way this poet brings her trauma to life in such a beautiful way is commendable. I would definitely read a future collection from this poet.

4/5 Stars

“i live in yesterday and speak in i’m sorry”

This collection really resonated with me personally. I loved the way she took the way people think about normal things and made it into a beautiful metaphor. Sure, that’s what poetry is supposed to be but the way Sabrina did in this collection with just a few short lines in each poem. “like the falling autumn leaves, i knew you wouldn’t stay and like the fog that blankets the trees we were always meant to fade.”

5/5 Stars

First off, we LOVE a bisexual queen. Positive bi rep is always amazing. This story has just the right amount of everything. I can’t WAIT for this to be full length!! & maybe another book with Chevy as the MC??

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Will be featured in the EVIL QUEEN Anthology / Future full length novel

Just Neighbors

Just Neighbors by Charity Ferrell

5/5 Stars

My favorite in this series so far! I’m not usually a fan of the enemies to lovers trope but I love the way Ferrell does it this time. Chloe and Kyle are long time rivals, new neighbors with a lot of animosity and secrets. Their chemistry is off the charts and they are two people you can’t help but root for. They both deserve a healthy and loving relationship, together. This book had a lot more drama than the others which especially kept my interest. I was a tad annoyed by how long it took them to explain why they were high school rivals. It seemed obvious but they didn’t explain the story until almost halfway through and just kept alluding to it. This also happened in regards to secrets being kept, but it was worth it once you figured out what the secrets were. The ending was tragic, and then happy. I really enjoyed their story and am curious to what comes next for them.

After the Blackout

After the Blackout by J.R.Rogue

5/5 Stars

Wow. I was already in love with Jen's poetry but this blew me out of the water. This collection was particularly rough for me. As someone who once struggled with Alcohol, some of these poems hit too close to home. I commend Jen's honesty and her ability to bare herself on the page.This collection was stunning, it hurt at times but in the most beautiful way. I felt every line, every word, I was bookmarking and highlighting so often. I need this in paperback and urge everyone to read it. If you've struggled with alcohol, if you haven't, if you know someone who has, it's an eye opening look at what society deems a "normal addiction". Jen's foreword was wonderful, she honestly has me thinking twice about my relationship to alcohol. Truly amazing.

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts my own***

Just Exes

Just Exes by Charity Ferrell

4.5/5 Stars

This was so close to being my favorite in the series but it just fell short. Lauren is someone we meet all the way back in Just a Fling but we don’t get to hear too much until now. I loved the way this started, getting arrested by your ex is just hysterical and karma in this situation. I enjoyed Gage, he’s a cop but he isn’t that stereotypical chauvinistic pig, he’s a genuine good guy who cares. What fell short with me was the pacing of the book. From page one we knew they both had secrets they werre’t telling the other supposedly to protect each other, but they didn’t divulge the secrets until almost 80% of the book. Which in my opinion was way too long, because then the last 20% shoved a crap ton of stuff I would’ve liked to see fleshed out. I understand it was supposed to build tension but it didn’t keep me long enough and I ended up skimming to see what the secrets were and if it was worth reading. In my opinion, it was. That last chunk really sold it for me and made me fall even more in love with this relationship. These are definitely two characters I will be rooting for.

Just One Night

Just One Night by Charity Ferrell

5/5 Stars

I really loved this book! Charity's writing was beautiful and immersed you in Blue Beach. I was glad to see Dallas and Willow's relationship unfold after the teaser in book 1. I kind of knew where it would be headed but I was happily surprised with many twists and turns. Willow was a real character, she had flaws and wasn't perfect but she was genuine. I'd love to see more of Dallas' family in the rest of the series, especially in Lauren's book which is next. I liked that Dallas and Willow's relationship wasn't rushed and they both had obstacles to overcome on their own. It was incredibly realistic and I loved Maven's parts as well.

Shaken

Shaken by Charity Ferrell

3/5 Stars

I'm slowly starting to realize I don't like the enemies to lovers trope, like it's nothing personal just not my thing. Archer and Georgia's story was one I was looking forward to but it fell flat for me. She was such a strong character in Jamie and Cohen's story that I thought we would get to see more of them, or at least Noah and we rarely did. She also struck me as someone who was strong and independent but she clearly settled in this relationship. Her life also seemed to revolve around him, she didn't get any chapters about alone time with friends, family, or even work. The entire side of her story was how she could "save" him or how hurt she was by something he did.

I gave it three stars because I loved the writing, and the story is compelling but it just wasn't for me. The world building was perfect, just enough to keep me interested in the other characters stories but not too much where it overshadowed this book.

***Spoilers below**

Archer starts off as an enemy you want Georgia to be with. The chemistry, the banter, it's hot. But after Archer repeatedly telling her he doesn't want her, she still begs him to be with her. I just have to ask why? She had self esteem yet she wouldn't even look at anyone besides archer, claiming to be in love with him when he just showed over and over what a terrible guy he was. He left her over and over and not in any good ways or reasons I believe. Personally their relationship came across as a trauma bond and was a huge let down for me. It read like a toxic relationship romanticized which I didn't like at all.

July 2021 Wrap-Up

3/5 Stars

I was honestly underwhelmed by this collection. I had heard good things and although there were some poems I enjoyed, the rest fell flat to me. Often the poems came across as very immature thinking and I was wondering how old this poet was. It could be read more like a journal than a collection.

3/5 Stars

I liked this collection but I can't say I loved it. There were some really amazing and strong poems in the beginning. I bookmarked so many I had high hopes, but that fell flat after about 50%. It started to seem really repetitive, and was more prose than poetry. I enjoyed how open and honest Hillery is in her writing but I felt like this collection could've used a little less detail. Sometimes there was an incredible line stuck in a really long poem, or paragraph that could've stood out more on its own.

3/5 Stars

This collection was rough. It had a lot of really raw and amazing metaphors. I liked a few of the poems in the beginning but this wasn't one of my favorites.

4/5 Stars

This book started off slow, I really wasn't sure if I liked it until the last half. January is a hard character to relate to, she's got a lot going on and it made me ask a lot of questions that never got answered. Like how did she blow through so much money from 5 book deals, why didn't she get another job? I also really didn't like the ending with the truth about her dad, it genuinely irked me. I can't say much more without spoiling it but it was a disappointment. I did like Gus but probably because he reminds me of my favorite ex, in all the ways I fell in love with him. Their relationship was surprising and definitely could've used more chemistry since they went from enemies to friends to lovers practically overnight. But nonetheless I did enjoy reading their story.

5/5 Stars

This story was truly incredible, one to keep you on your toes until the very end. Emma Fern is a completely flawed character that somehow makes you feel bad for her. Throughout the story I kept hoping her life would turn around but I don’t think she wanted it to. It follows Emma’s journey after agreeing to be the face behind a novel her ‘friend’ Beatrice wrote. It takes many dark turns and makes you question who truly is the villain in this story. My favorite part is when Emma (someone who has never written a day in her life) sits in front of her computer hoping to bang out the entirety of a novel in just a few hours. As a writer this scene was humorous and all too relatable, so many people think writing a book is just an easy and quick task.

3/5 Stars

I’m honestly incredibly disappointed in this sequel to Until I Meet Her. I wasn’t sure where it could possibly go after the ending of book 1 but it took me on such a far fetched journey, I was in disbelief. This story follows through the aftermath of Emma’s life from book 1. There were so many parts where I could see exactly where the story was going and how it was going to end. I wanted to scream at her “OPEN YOUR EYES” but she was so oblivious and didn’t think anything through but often acted like she was the smartest person in the room. She was paranoid, kind of insane, and needy. She often threw herself at people who very clearly wanted nothing to do with her and thought everyone loved her when they didn’t. The ending was EXTREMELY unbelievable and just annoying. There was no way that would happen, even in a novel it made me want to throw the book across the room.

3/5 Stars

I'm slowly starting to realize I don't like the enemies to lovers trope, like it's nothing personal just not my thing. Archer and Georgia's story was one I was looking forward to but it fell flat for me. She was such a strong character in Jamie and Cohen's story that I thought we would get to see more of them, or at least Noah and we rarely did. She also struck me as someone who was strong and independent but she clearly settled in this relationship. Her life also seemed to revolve around him, she didn't get any chapters about alone time with friends, family, or even work. The entire side of her story was how she could "save" him or how hurt she was by something he did.

I gave it three stars because I loved the writing, and the story is compelling but it just wasn't for me. The world building was perfect, just enough to keep me interested in the other characters stories but not too much where it overshadowed this book.

5/5 Stars

As a new parent, I’m always looking for advice or professional examples of what to do. My son is almost 2 and each day he is more and more independent which is amazing and scary. This book was informative in the gentle parenting that I was looking for. This book happened to be more guided toward teachers (I plan to homeschool in the future) so I highly recommend for any school parents, and teachers to read. It wasn’t just about staying calm, it provided real life examples, cartoons and questions with thought out responses which made me feel less alone. It’s a struggle for anyone trying to raise a child and this book helped guide in a holding hand sort of way with no shaming to how you already parent.

The Emma Fern Series

Until I Met Her (Emma Fern #1) by Natalie Barelli

5/5 Stars

This story was truly incredible, one to keep you on your toes until the very end. Emma Fern is a completely flawed character that somehow makes you feel bad for her. Throughout the story I kept hoping her life would turn around but I don’t think she wanted it to. It follows Emma’s journey after agreeing to be the face behind a novel her ‘friend’ Beatrice wrote. It takes many dark turns and makes you question who truly is the villain in this story. My favorite part is when Emma (someone who has never written a day in her life) sits in front of her computer hoping to bang out the entirety of a novel in just a few hours. As a writer this scene was humorous and all too relatable, so many people think writing a book is just an easy and quick task. 

After He Killed Me (Emma Fern #2) by Natalie Barelli

I’m honestly incredibly disappointed in this sequel to Until I Meet Her. I wasn’t sure where it could possibly go after the ending of book 1 but it took me on such a far fetched journey, I was in disbelief. This story follows through the aftermath of Emma’s life from book 1. There were so many parts where I could see exactly where the story was going and how it was going to end. I wanted to scream at her “OPEN YOUR EYES” but she was so oblivious and didn’t think anything through but often acted like she was the smartest person in the room. She was paranoid, kind of insane, and needy. She often threw herself at people who very clearly wanted nothing to do with her and thought everyone loved her when they didn’t. The ending was EXTREMELY unbelievable and just annoying. There was no way that would happen, even in a novel it made me want to throw the book across the room.